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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · scale · mine · current · mate · spring · ruler · wind

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. firm — a company
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. mate — a partner
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. mate — to breed
  12. spring — the season
  13. mine — for digging
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wind — moving air
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. scale — in music
  18. current — happening now
  19. wind — moving air
  20. firm — decided
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. firm — steady
  24. mate — a friend

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com